Since the Opium War in 1840, China has often been bullied by foreign countries. The foreigners opened the door to China with cannons and forced the Qing government to sign a series of unequal treaties. Foreigners were granted diplomatic immunity in business, stationed in China and enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Foreign new things entered China along with the invaders, and aroused Chinese people's curiosity. However, in the eyes of foreigners, the Chinese always lower their heads.
In 1896, a Frenchman brought a movie to the Chinese. Since then, the film was introduced to China and developed rapidly in China. During the period of the Republic of China, the film industry has been greatly developed. Foreign movies make huge profits in China. In 1930, an American film caused an uproar in China. At that time, the Shanghai Da Guangming Cinema and Guanglu Grand Theater, which were located in the concession, screened the film "Not Afraid of Death", starring and directed by the famous American comedian Harold. In the 1920s, Harold became popular in China as his "Rock". When the movie was showing, the Chinese were watching with relish, when suddenly a man took the stage and gave a speech, telling the audience the plot of the insult to the Chinese. also declares: We Chinese people cannot suffer such insults and slanders silently, and we should not watch this film again. " This speech received a lot of people's response, and many people asked for a refund. After knowing the time, Gao Yongqing, the general manager of the theater, ordered the person to be forced into the office and reported to the patrol room. He was taken away by the patrol and asked for 3 hours.
film Why did it arouse the anger of the Chinese? Because the Chinese in the movie are mostly wretches, women with small feet, and men smoking opium . Harold also grabbed the braids of the Chinese old man and made fun of it. The man who made the speech was Shanghai Fudan University. , Jinan University professor Hong Shen. The movie
aroused the anger of the Chinese people, and Harold refused to apologize. The theater continued to play the movie, and there was no national righteousness. Shanghai audiences boycotted the film, and some used security razors in the theaters. The leather surface of the chairs was cut off, some bought firecrackers and set them off in the venue, and some spilled Amnia juice on the venue, making it scandalous.
Finally, the National Government Film Censorship Committee also intervened in this matter and adopted a series of measures. Effective action has set off a nationalist movement around "boycotting films that insult China." The Executive Yuan of the National Government, the Ministry of Education of the National Government, and the National Government Film Inspection Committee all dispatched to ban newspapers from Shanghai Daguangming Cinema and Guanglu The advertisement of the Grand Theater, the ban of the movie starring Harold Lloyd in Shanghai theaters, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Interior of the National Government transferred to the film inspection agencies of the provincial and municipal governments, and the Executive Yuan of the National Government to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The U.S. government made representations, the National Government’s Jiang Customs Supervision Office strictly seized the film to prevent it from spreading, and the National Government’s Shanghai Executive Committee passed various disciplinary measures.
Under pressure from all quarters, Shanghai Daguangming Cinema and Guanglu Theater were respectively The newspaper apologized to the people. In the end, Harold Lloyd also formally sent a letter to the Chinese Consul General in San Francisco, stating that he had no intention to violate the national dignity of the Chinese people. He believed that the whole incident was a misunderstanding, and the film was just entertainment. The film is a negative portrayal of the Chinese people. It was not intended, and the film was formally apologized to the Chinese people.
Daguangming Theater had to submit a document to the Municipal Film Inspection Committee, expressing its willingness to publish an apology to the Chinese people, check all the films shown and no longer Screening the movie starring Rock. At the same time, it was decided to follow the decision of the Film Censorship Committee to pay a fine of 5,000 yuan, which is used as education funds, and request the withdrawal of the ban on suspension of advertisements in various newspapers in order to maintain the business
After this incident, Shanghai Daguangming Cinema suffered heavy losses , Closed down. Harold lost the Chinese market, this is the price they should pay.
James is sought after in Shanghai
Now there is Morey "humiliating China" incident, Xiao Hua called freedom of speech. But just want to say: " Your freedom of speech will take your ethnic issue and your country to attack? "Professor
Hong Shen once said: No matter how the Americans respect you, treat you politely, and be affectionate with you, the mentality of despising the Chinese will unknowingly show up and make you feel uncomfortable."
